Here’s an excerpt from the novel of Ros Chantrabot titled The Husband, Master of all his Wife’s Feelings, or Mchas bdey duong chet oun. Ros Chantrabot is the author of La Republique Khmere and other books, but there’s a small chance that there were two authors with the same name. The novel was published in 1966, in the heyday of Sihanouk’s Sangkum regime and presents quite a tragic story of love between the daughter of one wealthy family (Kuntea) and a certain Rith, a professeur. The author in the presented introduction poses the question in an almost Herzen style “Who is guilty, who is to blame?” Of course the undemocratic Sihanouk regime did not allow direct criticisms so all such things had to be done an indirect fashion. In the dialogue of the first chapter we see references to Shakespeare, Kim Il Sung’s “self-reliance” doctrine, popular liberal ideas of rejecting the old order, old notions of marriage and other aspects of traditional social relationships. It is a good piece showing the inside as it were, the derriere le sourire khmer (behind the Khmer smile). First I thought about translating the paragraph “We Are the Pure Gold” but ended up translating the whole chapter. The division of society is clearly shown by the remark of the mother and there is perhaps not a single example similar to this in other Khmer literature. The deep division was unnoticed by the majority of outsiders but it still exists in today’s society.
First off, here’s a clip from a film called Monkey Dance, made by contemporary Khmer-American artist Laura Mam featuring a well-to-do 1966 New Year party. It is worth comparing this elite with despised Cambodian peasants in ragged clothes. Just a little monkey dance. The feast in times of plague. Such a good piece of propaganda, where nobody sees the irony.
Eleven years of social order will be destroyed and the likes of Rith, the rejected, will lead the struggle and be the destroyers. What would happen to the mother and father of Kuntea? They would probably be lead outside of Phnom Penh and overworked or executed. There’s a symbolism between the Khmer Rouge rejection of money (gold) and the Khmer Rouge getting rid of the old elite (We are the Gold). Anyways, it’s a good example showing a true attitude of the elite, and there’s no rehabilitation in my opinion. Look at the paragraph where mother tells to her daughter to get rid off the baby. It’s not a single, known to me, case in the Khmer literature. It’s an elites’ desire not to mix, physically mix the blood with lower classes of society. All the defenders of the golden Sihanouk era should read the novels. It reminds me too of an early Russian play from the 19th century called The Storm. The main heroine dies there too and the prominent Russian critic Dobrolyubov called her “The ray of light in the dark kingdom”. The Khmer heroine can be called so too. Pol Pot’s judgement of a rotten and old Khmer society cannot be dispensed just because he was a “bad guy.” And in today’s Cambodia under former Khmer Rouge Hun Sen, there’s aek otdom, okhna, somdech, somdech techo, look chumteav, somdech krom, and these are all old titles still officially used. And those holding them get feuds (I mean land privileges). Anyway, here’s an excerpt:
– Daughter, you have to listen to your mom. The mom who gave birth to you has got a better head than you. You have to understand me clearly. Now, this mom who hasn’t spoken much, but she means just one thing, daughter, you have to stop this love with the contemptible Rith (further a-Rith). Your face, your rank, your family line are famous to everyone. It’s not proper to bring it down, through the dirt and mud. Or smash it by involving yourself with indecent trash. We are the pure gold and we have to stay the pure gold never mixing with silver or iron. Why don’t you listen to me?
– Mom, all these lengthy words that you said, I’ve understood everything.
– If so you have to do like I’ve told you. What I told you have to follow.
– Yes… but.. I love bong Rith immeasurably. My heart, my feelings and myself are all I’ve entrusted to him without reserve. Everything what I have also belongs to him. My things are also his (belongs to him). His life is mine. The two of us have only one life. Our life is a profitless sacrifice on the altar. The love of your daughter has found happiness and I hope bong Rith and I will join with each even more in the future.
– ”Pure life!” Found “happiness!” Oh, my God let me handle this! Love made in secret against our Khmer traditions! And she tries to tell me further about what is “pure” and “good”. How can you find happiness with an indecent and cowardly figure like a-Rith who hasn’t got a penny in his pocket! You are confused my child. You’re daydreaming! You have to listen your mom. I’m older than you and I’ve got more experience than you. Believe me, happiness is determined by money. If one has money one’s already got happiness. And whatever we want to buy we can with money. There will be no difficulties!
– No, mom! As for me I don’t agree with this! Happiness, for me and bong Rith is based on love and understanding, on knowing each other. By knowing each other we live in happiness. Money does not disrupt our happiness. Money cannot deliver to us happiness. It can only destroy it! When you were born, did any money come with you? You came without anything, naked. And when you die, do you take any money with you? Why do you have such a love for money then?
– Eh! Don’t you dare to throw such big words in my face. Your share (of truth) is smaller than mine. It’s money that is bigger than everything and it bring us contentment and benefits. Without money where would you live, slut! Look at the Yankees. Because they are bursting with money they can reach out to any country and they lead everybody! Everybody fears them because off those big money bags. Americans can buy anybody from any country, and it doesn’t matter whether little or big, to serve them for their own benefit. Look clearly with your eyes. Do you agree with me or not? Because of money their country enjoys greatness.
– Mom, happiness is not based on, physical outlook, strength, wealth or power. It’s based on feelings. But people are unable to touch its form, sketch it out or weigh it. It is the money side, the money and the value of all the things based on it that they are able to see around themselves. They’re confused and they’re dreaming.
Almost all the people live with a wrong understanding. There’s not a single correct one. And the money and the things and all the deeds it’s like when small children are competing when playing with toys. Our world is based in such a way that each person appears as if entering an arena, or always acting a play. Bringing themselves to quarrels and bickering, killing each other to get money.
All the people playing with these toys don’t know that money is a poison. It poisons everybody like an opium which is smoked by people, first delicious and then “more-more”. It makes them skinny and deprived but they don’t know. Our world and our lives are like a play. Not real. Mom, you were born among the suffering, and a little bit more and we croak like animals, always the same.
– Hey, don’t you say crazy things. I raised you since you were small. I will not let you rule out whatever comes in your head. In this manner you will bring down our good name.
– Good name! What’s in it!? As you already know I’m pregnant for more than two months and the baby is consummated with bong Rith.
– Don’t worry! Mom’s got all the means and two months is nothing. We can abort it. Stop loving a-Rith. We’ll ease it out of you. Believe your mom!
– No, and no again! I don’t want to end the life of a human being! And I cannot forget bong Rith., my love, my destiny.
-Think it over, thoroughly. He’s lacking everything, if you follow what I’m saying you will have income and will raise our name further. Because you have to be grateful to your mother and father. Think of Li Pon Ton, he wants you so much! And he will not be a step back. The vice governor of a certain province, he’s not small. He rules over the whole province, daughter! He also makes lots of money beside that. People fear and respect him a lot. When you go anywhere, make an appearance, people would call you look chumteav. Look, isn’t it good? But not only this. His father is a boss of a joint silk company. He’s got a lots of money, his means are inexhaustible. They live in the bags of money.
– Even it is so I cannot do what you tell and what you order me, mom. I cannot change my heart kill my baby. Moreover, my love does not have a price for which it can be purchased. 10 governors, 1100 bosses of silk companies will not be able to buy my love.
– Don’t speak so much bullshit. You speak without thinking it over. You’re still green, a baby. Don’t know anything of life yet. You’ve heard what they call “love” and you only know it from the books or movies. They only set you out as ignorant and will bring you only you tears. Don’t go crazy over all these writers. They’re all mad. If you get a copy of a book or some story it is just bullshit. They don’t give a thought to serve literature for a great cause. Know this. Don’t go crazy. Get this and don’t think more. Oh, all children nowadays are stupid, cannot pre-plan anything in advance.
– I don’t want to speak on this. It’s a problem of my future and my happiness which is opposed. I thought a bit and I decided not to bother you, mom, on deciding my life. Because you’ve taken care for me since I was small. And this is why I want you to give me a free choice on what stands before me. By the way, everyone is the master of his own destiny. If you don’t do good, then bad you will get.
– What stubborness! Your problem is me, who rules over you. Because it’s a question of family honor. I will insist we find a good husband for you with an according position and good background. There is only one difficulty and that is to abort the child. Throw it out and it will be over. Go wed and then it’s done.
– About my baby and my wedding with some certain gentleman I ask you. This is an ultimately mine. I will take care of my child with good, pure intentions, me and my husband.
– If it’s so, then we’re with your dad we will not let you marry Rith. If you have decided so I will not lose my honor or sign it over Etat Civile.
– I’ve thought it all over. Because this is mine. Whether there’s a wedding or no I don’t care. The main thing that two of us love each other. The marriage is just a childish play in which boring people find an amusement. In truth, the marriage doesn’t have any magical power to add or to strength the bonds of love. It doesn’t matter..
– Ungrateful bitch! Don’t you speak too much. I will set you on the perch that you never wanted to be set on. Go love your Rith. He’s without penny, his family is nothing. If you go and marry this professeur no generals or tycoons will ever respect you where you go. He’s got no decent face. Or you think like these people, like this gang of professeurs? Don’t be mistaken, they will call you only as neak or neak srey. That’s it. The governor is like a wall to rest upon.
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